Francis M. Beaudette

Francis M. Beaudette
File:LTGBeaudette.png Official portrait, 2018
Allegiance	United States
Service / branch	United States Army
Years of service	1989–2021
Rank	Lieutenant General
Commands	United States Army Special Operations Command 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) 1st Special Forces Group 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group Special Operations Task Force 10 Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines
Battles / wars	Gulf War Iraq War War in Afghanistan
Awards	Army Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal (3) Legion of Merit (4) Bronze Star Medal (4)

Lieutenant General Francis Michel Beaudette is a retired United States Army officer who served as the commanding general of the United States Army Special Operations Command from 2018 to 2021.

Military career

Francis M. Beaudette was commissioned in 1989 as an Intelligence Officer through the Reserve Officers' Training Corps program at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina. He initially served as a Military Intelligence Officer, in his first assignment he served as a Battalion Assistant S-2, M1A1 crewmember, and armor platoon leader in Germany, Saudi Arabia and Iraq. He went on to complete Special Forces training in 1995. His first assignment was to the 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), where he commanded two Special Forces Detachments, commanded the Group Headquarters Company, and served as the Group assistant S-3. He then served as the Aide-de-Camp to the Commanding General of the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, and went on to serve as Aide-de-Camp to the Deputy Commanding General of Kosovo Forces. Beaudette commanded a Special Forces company at Fort Carson, Colorado, and in Kosovo, as well as served as a Battalion Executive Officer and Group Operations Officer for the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), both at Fort Carson and in Iraq. Following a tour on the Joint Staff in the J3 Deputy Directorate for Special Operations, Beaudette commanded 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) in Germany and Special Operations Task Force 10 in Afghanistan. He then served as the G3 and Chief of Staff for the United States Army Special Forces Command (Airborne), prior to commanding the 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) and the Joint Special Operations Task Force – Philippines. Beaudette then served as the Executive Officer to the commander, United States Special Operations Command. Beaudette served as the Deputy Commanding General, 1st Armored Division and Director of United States Central Command Forward (Jordan). He then served with Joint Special Operations Command as the Assistant Commanding General. Beaudette assumed command United States Army Special Operations Command on June 8, 2018. He relinquished command of USASOC to Jonathan P. Braga on August 13, 2021 and retired the same day. Beaudette is a graduate of The Citadel, the United States Army Command and General Staff College and the United States Army War College.

Awards and decorations

File:Combat Infantry Badge.svg Combat Infantryman Badge

File:Image4246.gifFile:Master Parachutist badge (United States).svg Master Parachutist Badge with USASOC background trimming

File:USAF - Occupational Badge - High Altitude Low Opening.svg Military Free Fall Parachutist Badge

File:Einzelbild Special Forces (Special Forces Insignia).svg Special Forces Tab

File:Ranger Tab.svg Ranger tab

File:Joint Chiefs of Staff seal.svg Joint Chiefs of Staff Identification Badge

File:BW Sonderabzeichen Fallschirmspringer.png German Parachutist Badge in bronze

File:Canadian jump wings.png Canadian Jump Wings (non-operational)

File:Para Wing A Netherlands.jpg Netherlands Jump Wings

File:No free image.png Swaziland Jump Wings

File:United States Army Special Forces CSIB.svg 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) Combat Service Identification Badge

File:SpecialForces Badge.svg 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) Distinctive Unit Insignia

File:ArmyOSB.svg 6 Overseas Service Bars

File:Distinguished Service Medal ribbon.svg Army Distinguished Service Medal

File:U.S. Defense Superior Service Medal ribbon.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg Defense Superior Service Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters

File:Legion of Merit ribbon.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg Legion of Merit with three oak leaf clusters

Width-44 scarlet ribbon with width-4 ultramarine blue stripe at center, surrounded by width-1 white stripes. Width-1 white stripes are at the edges.File:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg Bronze Star Medal with three oak leaf clusters

Bronze oak leaf cluster File:Defense Meritorious Service Medal ribbon.svg Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster

File:Meritorious Service Medal ribbon.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters

File:Army Commendation Medal ribbon.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters

File:Army Achievement Medal ribbon.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svgFile:Bronze oakleaf-3d.svg Army Achievement Medal with three oak leaf clusters

Bronze oak leaf cluster File:Joint Meritorious Unit Award ribbon.svg Joint Meritorious Unit Award with oak leaf cluster

File:Valorous Unit Award ribbon.svg Valorous Unit Award

Bronze star File:National Defense Service Medal ribbon.svg National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star

File:Southwest Asia Service Medal ribbon (1991-2016).svgFile:Bronze-service-star-3d-vector.svgFile:Bronze-service-star-3d-vector.svgFile:Bronze-service-star-3d-vector.svg Southwest Asia Service Medal with three campaign stars

Bronze star File:Kosovo Campaign Medal ribbon.svg Kosovo Campaign Medal with campaign star

Bronze star File:Afghanistan Campaign ribbon.svg Afghanistan Campaign Medal with campaign star

Arrowhead File:Iraq Campaign Medal ribbon.svg Iraq Campaign Medal with Arrowhead device

File:Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary ribbon.svg Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal

File:Global War on Terrorism Service ribbon.svg Global War on Terrorism Service Medal

File:Humanitarian Service ribbon.svg Humanitarian Service Medal

File:Army Service Ribbon.svg Army Service Ribbon

File:Army Overseas Service Ribbon.svgFile:Award numeral 3.svg Army Overseas Service Ribbon with bronze award numeral 3

Bronze star File:NATO Medal ribbon (Non-Article 5).svg NATO Medal for ISAF with service star

File:Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) ribbon.svg Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia)

File:Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) ribbon.svg Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)